Opposition links passing of Telangana Bill to Emergency days

Members belonging to the Opposition slammed the way the contentious Telangana Bill was passed in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday.

Zee Media Bureau/Manisha Singh

New Delhi: Members belonging to the Opposition, cutting across party lines, slammed the way the contentious Telangana Bill was passed in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday. Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav told the media, “Its unfortunate. Congress wants to divide the country.” YSR Congress chief, Jaganmohan Reddy called the way the bill was passed as a `black day in history of the country` and he also slammed the decision of the government to stop the live telecast of the proceedings in the House. Trinamool Congress leader Dinesh Trivedi said that blocking out the media were things that happened during the time of Emergency. He had walked out during the proceedings. CPI(M) and the TMC opposed the creation of Telangana in the House. And JD(U) president Sharad Yadav whose party boycotted the proceedings said that he had not witnessed such a bifurcation before and it was not possible to witness it. MIM MP from Andhra Pradesh Asaduddin Owaisi said that they will go to the Supreme Court over the matter. TDP`s Venugopal Reddy said he was ashamed to be an MP. “They have killed people of Seemandhra. Today is a black day.” However, there were some voices from within the government too who spoke against the bill. Union Minster Pallam Raju said that all the norms were set aside and called it `unfortunate`. “A party which has such a legacy has done it in this manner,” he said talking about the Congress. Though the BJP supported the bill in Parliament, senior party leader, LK Advani expressed his disappointment at the way such a crucial bill was passed with just a voice vote. The Telangana Bill was passed by Lok Sabha today with voting on clauses of the bill taken up amid pandemonium. Live telecast of the proceedings was not allowed. Ignoring the protests against the division of Andhra Pradesh, the government today moved the controversial Telangana Bill for consideration and passage in the Lok Sabha. Union Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde moved the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Bill 2014 for consideration in the House. He moved the bill in spite of the fact that ministers and MPs from Seemandhra region were in the Well opposing division of the state. Earlier, 16 members from the region belonging to Congress, TDP and YSR Congress, were suspended from the House last week till February 20. The Lok Sabha Speaker took the action after unprecedented chaos in the House in which the expelled Congress member L Rajagopal sprayed pepper at his fellow MPs from a canister that he had brought with him. Meanwhile, Shinde said that Seemandhra would be given a special package. The bill will now be brought in Rajya Sabha.